Learning Experience

I thought I'd share with everyone the things I've learned within the last 2 years concerning writing and publishing.

1. Learn to take criticism because in the end it will only improve your writing because no writing is perfect.
2. Learn to edit your own work. For me, editing was my nemesis, but I've learned to edit by a cheat-sheet of common mistakes I make.
3. Grammar rules can be broken but only if it makes the text flow more smoothly. The last thing you want is for someone to have to re-read a line or paragraph for lack of understanding the first time.
4. Word count doesn't matter. My first editing job trimmed 10,000 words from my first book and its better for it.
5. Live your characters. Each one should be individually identifiable within your mind and should have their own personality trait.
6. Self-publishing is easy. Seriously. If you doubt me, then ask me and I'll walk you through it. Advertising, getting readership, is the hard part.

Also, here is the new back cover for Azazel. Thoughts?:

Azazel: With Jeremiah near death in a hospital hundreds of miles away and Limbus under attack, Azazel looks to be on the verge of Armageddon, but Azazel has more enemies than friends. Yet, despite his immortality, he can still be beaten and it’s up to Limbus to figure out how. But with the pressure of the world weighing on his shoulders, Limbus realizes he can’t protect everyone he’s placed in danger and flees into the hands of Opus Wright. So in a last ditch effort to save his family, Jeremiah puts his trust in the one entity who hates him above all else; the demon Hades. Is his faith justified or has he just doomed the world for eternity?